Galley Bay Resort & Spa

Antigua, Caribbean

Virgin rating

The hotel

Set on one of Antigua's many beautiful beaches, the Galley Bay Resort & Spa offers guests a fabulous combination of superior service, Caribbean cuisine and rustic luxury in a very natural setting. Much of the architecture here is inspired by the French artist Gauguin. The charming individual suites have their own splash pool and are surrounded by lush gardens and views of the lagoon. There are three excellent open-air restaurants, all beachfront, offering intimate, candlelit dining of excellent quality. Ismay's Restaurant offers a higher quality dining experience to be shared for that special occasion, whilst the more laid-back Barefoot Grill is a great place to enjoy a tasty quesadilla made with resort grown produce. At sunset, hors d'oeuvres are served at the bar which overlooks the sea from under its Tahitian-style roof. There are activities such as non-motorised water sports and a recently expanded gym, but reclining with a novel on the beachfront deck from the library is equally as popular.

Amenities

  • Bicycle Rental
  • Kayaking
  • Sailing
  • Snorkelling
  • Tennis
  • Wheelchair access
  • Honeymoon
  • Wedding
  • Bar
  • Evening Entertainment
  • Fitness Centre/Gym
  • Internet Access

Where is it

On a beautiful beach, adjacent to Hawsbill and Deep Bay. Transfer time from airport: 30 minutes.

Hotel information

98 rooms on 1 or 2 floors. All with balcony/terrace, air-conditioning, ceiling fan, TV, telephone, complimentary WiFi, coffee maker, safe, bathrobes and hairdryer. Deluxe Beachfront Rooms are on the upper floors, located right on the beach. Rooms are large and are well appointed with spacious bathrooms which have a walk-in double shower. Rooms sleep maximum 2 adults.

All Inclusive of: all meals, snacks and drinks by the glass (name-brand spirits, sparkling wine by the glass, Caribbean beers, tropical coolers and soft drinks, excludes bottled water). All activities and entertainment above unless otherwise stated. Restaurants open on rotation.

Superior Deluxe Beachfront Rooms are charming rooms on the ground floor, in the centre of the resort, with private patio located directly on the beach. Each with 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

Gauguin Suites are situated on the edge of the bird sanctuary lagoon, just 50 yards from the beach and consist of two wooden cedar shingle roof rondovals with an enclosed large air conditioned sitting area joining the two. The suites have cool and modern white tile flooring with stone accents, plus their own private plunge pool, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

Premium Beachfront Suites are in 2-storey buildings, these have a bedroom and sunken living room with wet bar, huge bathroom with twin sinks, large bath and double walk-in shower, plus ocean views from the balcony or terrace, making these the largest and most luxurious option with iPod docking station, slippers and WiFi access. With 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 3 adults. A full-size rollaway bed is provided for Premium Beachfront Suites to allow for triple occupancy. These rooms have direct beach access on the ground floor only.

3 restaurants and 1 beach grill: Sea Grape Restaurant (serves award-winning Euro-Caribbean cuisine; breakfast, lunch and dinner), Gauguin Restaurant (offers traditional local cuisine where you can dine in individual cabanas for romantic meals; lunch and dinner), Barefoot Grill (offers a relaxed and laid-back, beachside atmosphere, serving burgers and 'basket style' sandwiches such as the classic Cuban, all made using home-grown fruits, herbs and vegetables from the resort).For special occasions try Ismay's Restaurant* (International island flavours, open evenings only — a US$45 per person supplement applies, payable locally, subject to change). 4 bars: Teepee Bar, Lounge Bar, Gauguin Bar and Rum Shack Bar serving different rums from around the Caribbean and delicious curated rum cocktails. The coffee shop features specialty coffee, tea drinks and homemade pasties. All restaurants are beachfront. Restaurant hours and availability are subject to change. Restaurants open on a rotation basis due to season/occupancy.

Regular entertainment several nights a week. Weekly beach cinema.

Large freeform swimming pool with waterfall feature. 'Spa Indulge'* with open-air treatment cabanas, sun deck and splash pool. Fitness centre. Non-motorised water sports: Hobie cats, kayaks, paddle boarding and snorkelling. Bicycles. Tennis and table tennis. New yoga pavilion. Croquet lawn. Weekly cooking demo. Nature lovers will enjoy the garden tours (Tuesdays) to learn about the fresh grown herbs and spices onsite. On-site Diamonds international shop.

Boutique*. Complimentary WiFi available in public areas. Internet room. Library. Cabana rooms can be booked for use on your day of departure. Rooms offer a great place to store your bags and you have access to shower facilities before the flight home. The cost is $35 for 3 hours.

This hotel has a resort fee of USD $24 including tax per room, per night, (payable locally, subject to change). Please note: a room levy of USD $5 per guest, per night (payable locally, subject to change).

Wheelchair adapted rooms with partially accessible amenities or facilities available on request. Please note that these rooms are subject to availability and may be restricted to specific room categories and bedding arrangements. Rooms and facilities vary between hotels so please check at the time of booking. To discover all the special assistance services we offer please see additional information below.

7 nights between 21 Dec-2 Jan.

* Denotes local charge.

Please note: this hotel is adults-only - children under 16 years are not permitted at any time.

Dress code: breakfast/lunch: shoes must be worn at all times and bathing suits must be covered and dry. Dinner: men are required to wear collared shirts with long trousers or stylish jeans. T-shirts, shorts, caprise and ripped jeans are not accepted. Women are asked to wear dresses, skirts, long trousers or stylish tailored shorts or jeans. No short shorts, tank tops or beach flip-flops are allowed.

For all guests in June, July and August: dress shorts can be worn (no short shorts or cutoffs). Standard dress code applies for Ismays.

Please note: guests are required to present a valid form of ID (passport, driving license, ID card) along with a valid credit card at check-in. A USD$350 pre-authorisation will be processed on the credit card at check-in to cover for any incidental purchases or similar expenses. Incidental purchases may include tours, excursions, gift shop purchases or dining in the speciality restaurant. We understand that not all guests incur additional charges during their stay, but this process assists the resort with fraud prevention. Upon check-out, the pre-authorisation is released, assuming there are no charges made.

Rating summary

  • Location Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Sleep Quality Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Rooms Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Service Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Value Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Cleanliness Image of the Tripadvisor rating

Traveller rating

  • Excellent (3691)
  • Very good (650)
  • Average (181)
  • Poor (50)
  • Terrible (36)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Great resort- great vacation

Jul 20, 2024 Navigator04904887610

My wife and I have been going to all inclusive for nearly 20 years. Recently we have been traveling to smaller and nicer resorts, traveling up scale a bit. We found Galley Bay to be wonderful! Drinks were tasty and not overly sweet. Even loved the drink of the day. They were real cocktails and not the typical all inclusive drinks with red or… Read more
My wife and I have been going to all inclusive for nearly 20 years. Recently we have been traveling to smaller and nicer resorts, traveling up scale a bit. We found Galley Bay to be wonderful! Drinks were tasty and not overly sweet. Even loved the drink of the day. They were real cocktails and not the typical all inclusive drinks with red or white syrup. Service was amazing. The staff really seemed like they wanted to help you and were very friendly. Except for Rum bar. My wife took a spill on her first day and had an injured foot. The water sports team helped her in and out of the ocean every day. There is a shipwreck right off the beach and the guys will take you over there in the cat- super chill and fun. No plastic bottles and they gave you two very nice steel water bottles that we refilled with filtered water. All resorts should be doing this! Breakfast coffee shop was the bomb. Iced coffee made with espresso and then shaken with ice- super delicious. Also great cookies and parfait in the am. Food was consistently excellent. We didn’t have a bad meal. There are only three restaurants, but menu changes daily so wasn’t an issue. 50$ upcharge per person for the Ismay restaurant. It was better than the other restaurants - but I am not sure is was 100$ better - there seems like better ways to do it. Here are some things we didn’t love. This resort is all open air and on the ocean front- which I love. However, even with the fans overhead it was still crazy hot- feels like temp 90+ at 8 pm! I literally thought I was going to pass out after dinner a few times. Thank the lord that they had just dropped the long pant requirement the week we were there- because there is NO way I could have survived with long pants. We had the Gauguin suite. There was no ocean front suites available. This was a spacious suite but a bizarre layout. Apparently you were only supposed to air condition the bathroom and the bedroom and not the connecting room- which is strange. Air condition the whole suite. The lady at the rum shack was a complete pill. She could not have been more bored with here job. I asked her what her favorite run was and she said “ we don’t have it here” so,,, ok. We thought we might get a little education on the finer points of rum- no- she just poured a shot of what you asked for- we felt that we were bothering her by asking questions. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Something not quit right.

Jul 18, 2024 Stephen M London, United Kingdom

Having stayed at GB many times over the last 20 years I have seen many changes mostly on the positive side. Over the last 4 years or so and probably due to Covid we have noticed small things around the resort that would be classed as niggles but when they occur most days of your stay turn into something much larger and leave a lasting memory of… Read more
Having stayed at GB many times over the last 20 years I have seen many changes mostly on the positive side. Over the last 4 years or so and probably due to Covid we have noticed small things around the resort that would be classed as niggles but when they occur most days of your stay turn into something much larger and leave a lasting memory of your stay. Some examples restaurant service eggs not cooked to your liking no croissants, missed course at Isma's, returned main at Isma's, Isma's cancellation on the afternoon of our booking, missing high end spirits in bars asked to rearrange spa times 2 hours before appointment then receiving what can only be described as the most stressful and unrelaxed facial ever recieved, the pool was unclean for a couple of days and inoperative air con in room. Yes we did address most of these issues at the time, the Spa however made no effort. Being a repeater our arrival somewhat shocked us as there was no recognition when checking in and even after we explained to the staff they continued with their explanation of the resort. We actually didn't see a manger around the resort for a couple of days. For the daily price which has increased substantially over the last couple of years many more resorts in Antigua have attractive offerings. The seclusion and tranquility of the Bay and the staff are your highlights, management please do not take it for granted and let your offering slip. Room renovation is important to stay current but don't take your eye of the ball with the guests at your resort. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Location location location

Jul 17, 2024 waunalongs Zionsville, Indiana

What makes Galley Bay so appealing is the beachside location. The resort sits on its own stretch of beach which makes it feel very exclusive. Beachside rooms have direct access to the beach with sun loungers allocated to each room. Rooms are large, very clean (so clean, we made a point of thanking the cleaning crew and giving them a tip) with… Read more
What makes Galley Bay so appealing is the beachside location. The resort sits on its own stretch of beach which makes it feel very exclusive. Beachside rooms have direct access to the beach with sun loungers allocated to each room. Rooms are large, very clean (so clean, we made a point of thanking the cleaning crew and giving them a tip) with excellent air conditioning, large showers and a comfy king size bed. Food was part fabulous and part disappointing. Ismays was so good the first time, we booked a second, but it was not as fabulous the second visit. So not consistent. Sea Grape, dinner was consistently excellent, especially any dish containing fish. Gaugin was good, but you have to book and we kept forgetting to book and by the time we remembered, no tables. Breakfast at Sea Grape was nothing special, a little underwhelmed if I was honest. The coffee at breakfast was not good at all. We loved the little coffee shop, the ladies were lovely, and they made a great latte so we would stop by grab a latte and then walk over to Sea Grape for breakfast. The barefoot grill was truly awful. Sorry, it really was. Some minor comments, but they are worth mentioning. Barefoot grill.......if you are on the beach and want to grab quick food without having to get all cleaned up, this is the only location to grab food.....they need to improve the food here, it was shockingly bad. Likewise, the outdoor bar on the beach was absolutely gorgeous, but it closes at 7pm! I feel the biggest asset of the resort is this bar, it's a great location, central to everything, but they close it so early. Nuts! Beach towels.....we got two when we got to our room, but after a week stay, we still have no idea how to get clean ones. I will add that part of the charm is the peace and tranquility of the resort. No banging loud music while at the pool or on the beach and no guests being obnoxious and playing loud music and you could actually relax and hear the sounds of the ocean and the birds. It is not a party party party resort, it was really lovely, and I hope they continue this. I will say the evening entertainment was great! Also, shout out to Alfred, otherwise known as Alfred The Great. He is a truly lovely person and so very helpful. All of the ladies we interacted with a customer service were just lovely and we appreciated them all so much, especially with our endless questions. We had a great trip on Captain Seans boat, such a great way to see the island, so interesting to see the other resorts we considered and realizing that the Galley Bay location cannot be beat. Overall, we had a lovely relaxing week and big thank you to Galley Bay and the whole team, we hope to return in 2025. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Beautiful Bay

Jul 17, 2024 Stuart M Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

Lovely location, very nice rooms, food was good but heavily influenced by the American guests. Pool fountain wasn't working for two days but was rectified when mentioned to the General Manager. Tried two restaurants but food is very similar in both. Didn't use the Rum Shack as smell from nearby 'Lagoon' was very bad, which they later tried to… Read more
Lovely location, very nice rooms, food was good but heavily influenced by the American guests. Pool fountain wasn't working for two days but was rectified when mentioned to the General Manager. Tried two restaurants but food is very similar in both. Didn't use the Rum Shack as smell from nearby 'Lagoon' was very bad, which they later tried to resolve. Lots of wildlife - turtles/whistling ducks/lizards/ mongoose etc. Overall experience was good in this beautiful tropical setting. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Wonderful relaxing beach front hotel resort

Jul 13, 2024 Mary M

Just returned from our 2nd stay in this beautiful resort and we will be returning. From the moment we arrived to a welcome drink the wonderful staff couldn't do enough for us. The rooms are beautiful and immaculately clean with balconies/ terraces front and back that step out on to the most gorgeous beach.This is just the place to come to relax… Read more
Just returned from our 2nd stay in this beautiful resort and we will be returning. From the moment we arrived to a welcome drink the wonderful staff couldn't do enough for us. The rooms are beautiful and immaculately clean with balconies/ terraces front and back that step out on to the most gorgeous beach.This is just the place to come to relax and unwind, we loved all three restaurants and the beach grill, so much choice of beautifully cooked food, lots grown on the premises. The cocktails delicious and the quality of the evening bands couldn't be higher. The fabulous guys who run the water sports( sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkeling) ensure you are safe at all times, we thoroughly enjoyed our sailing adventures. Snorkeling gear in the rooms and fabulous vacuum flasks for iced water or your cocktails, such a thoughtful touch. Bonus for us,turtles hatching on the beach, amazing experience to see.Can't recommend this resort enough, we wouldn't want to stay anywhere else . Read less